I am responsible for 0 at the moment, but could well be taking on a team of 10 soon. I have managed a team before of this size through an internal promotion where I knew everyone well (sort of managing your drinking buddies). The new gig will be in a place where I know nobody. So I welcome any suggestions. Also any sensible ones…
Make everyone - even the weakest and stupidest ones - feel like they’re doing something extremely important.
I manage two but I don’t have the power to fire or promote my subordinates because technically we all are under my boss. Is this normal?
I manage 25, you need to motivate them, stop questions from them, support weak and bless strong. Also the indicator of quality of your job: - you should have nothing to do except of allocating tasks to them and making a goof plan to arrive from here to result; - they should be kept busy if there are any tasks; - your boss should be glad because it is a protector of your power and your safety; - they should be happy as well. And remember, for victories your boss thinks that your bear all honors, for falls not always. Although the last phrase is a bit cinical but it is a fact.
I have had some experience in managing some larger teams. Firstly you have to manage the people working for you. This is the really boring administrative part of the job, making sure that they have work to do, that they have the resources required to do the job, they have an understanding of the quality of the work required and making sure that results are up to par. Then you actually have to provide leadership to them. I find this the much more rewarding and challenging part of the job. It involves motivation and alignment, always praise work where it is due and make sure that your senior leadership knows where an original idea came from. This doesn’t erode your power base in most instances at all and management like to know that you are open to ideas and can pick the right ones to champion. It is also about learning what buttons to push to get the most out of your workers. I used to keep a notebook that I would be able to jot down notes about each guy - wife’s name, hobbies, what they showed an interest in yadda, yadda, yadda - you would be surprised how much of a difference it can make when you remember some trivial thing - they think that you actually care - and for the most part you probably do. Its my opinion that management will get the team across the line - but leadership will get the team beyond it.
YeeS_Mos Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > - you should have nothing to do except of > allocating tasks to them and making a goof plan to > arrive from here to result; I’d like to hear more about this goof plan. I don’t manage anyone, but I used to back up my manager in my old job when she was off. But like OP, I knew most of my team members well so it was a cake walk.
4Tay Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > YeeS_Mos Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > - you should have nothing to do except of > > allocating tasks to them and making a goof plan > to > > arrive from here to result; > > > I’d like to hear more about this goof plan. > > I don’t manage anyone, but I used to back up my > manager in my old job when she was off. But like > OP, I knew most of my team members well so it was > a cake walk. Agree on this, when subordinates are your buddies, you need also to express a certain “additional guarantees” for them but you need also task to be completed as well. So it could be in form of drama play with them telling that you feel yourself under pressure (which could be a real fact) and they are only people that can help. They will for sure work a lot to help you.
I agree but first get all the lawyers and judges to approve the use of aversives behavior modification techniques so you can shock their ass into submission.
See: every Harvard Business Review issue ever created and Peter Drucker books.
I’ve always said that finding, hiring, keeping good staff is the hardest job in the world - beats anything else. The biggest line job I had was running a bank division - 2,000 staff in the field + all the HQ departments - HR, IT, credit, systems, accounting, audit, training, marketing, everything. Money’s great - but it’s a killer. You spend your life dealing with people problems - training, motivation, development, budgets, + personal problems - drugs, drinking, affairs - everything. The up-side is the extreme satisfaction in seeing people develop - beats making money any day. But the hassles of all the people problems will soon get you down. Bottom line is - to get ahead in a big company you need to do big line jobs running big deparments & divisions - and that means running big teams of people - thousands, when you get senior. It’s a different world - 90% people issues and less than 10% on actually running the business… Best tip I can offer: - always take accountability for all problems, and always delegate the credit for successes. The staff actually do the work, so give them the credit for things that go right. When things go wrong, NEVER blame others, always take responsibility yourslelf - then kick heads in your shop and get the right people. good luck with it!.. cheers
Good advice there, especially null&nuller & aussie_jaco. Good to get that sort of feedback. I think it is potentially difficult if you just want to run the investment side, as I suspect many of us want to do. I am under no illusion knowing that dealing with people can be the the biggest headache of all. I had only a couple of issues in the previous team I ran and I guess for most of us, we would rather not have to deal with someone else’s problems. I know from my side, I don’t give my boss any headaches as I realise that is all he needs from me (other than to do that four letter word). Now looking forward to find out about all the drinking, drugs & affairs - woo hoo! j/k… I think.
An important one in my opinion: Keep ego in check.
i don’t really manage anyone per se, but I work with a bunch of newer analysts: keep the motivation and morale up. make your staff take joy in what they do: i.e., make them feel like they own the project. and lastly, less micro’ing but set good examples on how to proceed with a project. those are my takes.
its hard to soar with the eagles when you work with a bunch of turkeys. LETS GET WITH THE PROGRAM HERE PEOPLE.
SkipE99 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > its hard to soar with the eagles when you work > with a bunch of turkeys. LETS GET WITH THE PROGRAM > HERE PEOPLE. +1